15. John gives witness about him. He cries out and says, "This was the one I was talking about. I said, 'He who comes after me is more important than I am. He is more important because he existed before I was born.' "
16. We have all received one blessing after another. God's grace is not limited.
17. Moses gave us the law. Jesus Christ has given us grace and truth.
18. No one has ever seen God. But God, the one and only Son, is at the Father's side. He has shown us what God is like.
19. The Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask John who he was. John gave witness to them.
20. He did not try to hide the truth. He spoke to them openly. He said, "I am not the Christ."
21. They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet we've been expecting?" they asked. "No," he answered.
22. They asked one last time, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"
23. John replied, using the words of Isaiah the prophet. John said, "I'm the messenger who is calling out in the desert, 'Make the way for the Lord straight.' " (Isaiah 40:3)
24. Some Pharisees who had been sent
25. asked him, "If you are not the Christ, why are you baptizing people? Why are you doing that if you aren't Elijah or the Prophet we've been expecting?"
26. "I baptize people with water," John replied. "But One is standing among you whom you do not know.
27. He is the One who comes after me. I am not good enough to untie his sandals."
28. This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan River. That was where John was baptizing.